Sand mold



S. J. ADAMS. SAND MOLD.

(No Model.)

UNITED f STATES PATENT GEEICE.

STEPHEN JARVIS ADAMS, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAND MOLD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 521,448, dated June 19,1894.

` Application led October 24, 1892- Serial No. 449,901. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN J ARvIs ADAMS, a resident of Pittsburg, inthe county of Allegheny and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Sand Molds; and I dohereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof. l

My invention relates to the pouring or casting of metal in sand molds,and to the construction of runners for feeding the metal to the pouringgates of these molds. In the formation of small sand molds, ithas beenpractically universally the custom to form the sand molds each oneindependent of the other, the pouring gate or gates of each mold passingdown from the top thereof into the body of the mold and communicatingwith the mold cavities, and to cast or pour the metal by means of handladles which were carried by the workmen from the cupola to the molds,each ladle containing-sufficient metal to pour from one to four molds,and it being necessary for the workmen not only to so carry the metal tothe molds which was laborious and occupied considerable time on accountof the distance from the cupola to the molds, but to direct the streamfrom the ladle into each pouring gate of the mold while he supported theladle of metal; this requiring skill and endurance and being practicallytheheaviest work in the formation of small molds. When it is appreciatedthat some molders can make between three and four hundred molds per day,and that it is necessary for them to carry their metal from the cupola,or main ladle receiving the metal from the same, to these molds, and tomake a sufficient number/of trips to pour all the molds, it will beunderstood that this work occupies a large portion of the day and isvery'wearing to the workmen, while at the same time, it is practicallyimpossible to feed the metal to the molds as rapidly as desired, onaccount of the total cessation of pouring between each mold and passingto the next one, and as the metal is exposed within the hand ladles andliable to chill somewhat, the molds are not cast with the metal at ashigh a heat as desired.

The object of my invention is to provide for the casting of these sandmolds more rapidly, and to do away with the hand labor by such series.

so arranging and constructing the molds that they may be pouredcontinuously, and that ladles carrying a much larger amount andsupported on tracks, or in other suitable way, maybe employed for thecasting of the metal.

To these ends my invention consists, generally stated, in thecombination of a series of sand molds and a runner formed in the sand ofthe mold above the mold cavities extending along lthe same andcommunicating with the pouring gates leading down into the severalmolds, so that the metal may bc fed to such runner and pass therefrominto the pouring gates of the different molds, and that a continuousstream may be fed to such runner so as to supply the metal to thedifferent molds.

It also consists in combining with the series of sand molds such arunner or runners eX- tending along the same, and bridges between thedifferent molds, so as to carry the metal over the space between themolds and the flasks of the molds where such flasks are employed. t

It also consists in certain improvements in the construction of therunners, the flasks and the bridges between the asks, as Will behereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willdescribe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, inwhich` Figure l is a sectional view of a series of `molds showing oneform of runner employed therewith, and showin gthe casting ladle aboveFig. 2 is a like view of another series of molds, showing differentconstructions of runners and bridges between the molds. Fig. 3 is aperspective view of one form of flasks where the runners are made in thesand of the mold; and Fig.4is aperspec- IOO molds, and the necessity ofchecking the flow of metal to the mold while theladle is shifted fromone mold to the other being overcome, as by the employmentot acontinuous runner the fear of the splashing of the molten metal as itflows from the ladleisovercome, and the metal as it Hows therefrom maybe directed bysaid runner into the pouring gates b leading down into themold cavities.

I have illustrated the continuous runner as formed on au incline fromthe edge of one pouring gate to the next pouring gate, the ineline b2 ofthe runner being so constructed in order that as soon as one mold isfilled the operator can shift the ladle gradually along to a point abovethe next pouring gate, and any metal flowing from the ladle during itsmovement from one pouring gate to the next gate will flow down suchincline in the runner into the pouring gate over which the ladle isbrought, so enabling the operator to continue `pouring into one gateuntil that mold is lled and preventing the overflow ofthe metal by anymetal flowing back into that pouring gate. That is to say, that theoperator fills one pouring gate, and all the metal flowing from theladle into the runner during the shifting of the ladle is directed intothe next pouring gate with the metal fed thereto from the ladle, so thatit adds to the stream from the ladle, flowing with it into the pouringgate until that mold is filled, and the metal flowing fromthe ladleduring the time that it is next shifted acts in the same way. Ifpreferable,

however, the runner may be constructed as shown in the mold to the rightof Fig. 1, soV

that it will be inclined in both directions toward the pouring gate ofthat particular mold, though this is not considered desirable.

In forming the bridges between the different molds, I may employdifferent forms, as illustrated in the drawings, simply packing sandbetween the molds so as to bridge between them as shown at c', oremploying a rigid bridge c2 which is formed of metal, fire brick orother such material, and entersseats formed for it in the sand of themold, such a bridge being illustrated in perspective in Fig. 4, and asthemold is formed, seats to receive such bridge being formed in theupper surface thereof. It will be seen that in any of the cases wherethe runner is formed inI the surface of the molds themselves, and

where a flask d is employed, it will be neces-4 depressions or recessesbeing formed in both ends of the flask where a small sand bridge c or aseparate fire brick or like bridge c2 is employed.

If desired, I may form the bridge on the flask as shown in Fig. 2, sucha bridge extending out at one end of the flask and entering a`depression d formed in the other end of the adjacent fiask and suchbridges being lined with sand so as to protect the body of the bridgewhile the bridge itself enters a seat e formed for its reception in thebody of the mold and so forms a continuous runner over the top of themold. Where I use the separate fire brick or like bridge c2 or form thebridge as part of the ask, in order to insure a tight jointof the bridgewith the sand of the mold, I form around the un der face thereof a ribc2, which can be pressed down into the sand and so insure a Ytightjoint. The separate fire brick bridge c2 may have such ribs formed ateach edge thereof.

In all the forms of my inventionillustrated in the drawings, it isevident that where a movable ladle is employed, such asillustrated inFig. l, after the molds havebeenarranged for the casting, the operatorwill Vbring the ladle above one mold of `the series,such, for example,as above the first of the mold l in Fig. l. IIe then `raises a stopperai, so as `to permit the metal to flow through the pouring spout a2, andthe metal will flow through the pouring gate b', filling themoldcavitiesthereof, and as soon as that mold is filled, by means ofsuitable machinery the ladle `will be drawn over to `a point above thenext'mold, such as the mold `2. The ladle may also be arranged to movecontinuously, the fiow being regulated by the stopper to just meet thedemands of the molds. Vhere a mold suclias shown to the right of Fig. lis employed, the metal passing from the ladle into the continuous runnerwill flow back into the pouring gate of the mold l, as the runner inthat mold is inclined in `both directions toward that pouring gate. Themetal passing onto the inclined runner of the mold 2 will, however, flowdown into the pouring gate of the mold `2, and as soon asthat mold isfilled when the ladle is again moved all metal escaping from the ladleafter it leaves the pouring gateof the mold 2 will flow down through thein clined runner to the pouringgate of the lmold 3; this being thepreferred construction, as it enables the operator to fill the one moldentirely before he shifts his ladle, and to know thatall the metal afterthe ladle leaves that pouring gate will ow into the next pouring gate,all fear of themetal overflowing being thus prevented. I-Ie so continuesthroughout the entire series, and can then close the spout of the ladleand shift theladle above the next series of moldson another trackandcontinue the operation. The molds are thus arranged for the continuouspouring of the metal and for the pouring of the same without thenecessityof stopping the `flow of the metal from the ladle, the flowingof the metal ICO IIO

'is always flowing in the continuous runner and is directed by the sameinto the one or the other pouring gate, all fear of the spillf ing ofthe metal is overcome, While the metal may be poured much moreaccurately and rapidly than if vpoured by hand; the great labor incurredand time occupied in pouring the molds in the old hand way being thusovercome.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The combination of a series of sand molds and a continuous runnerextending along the same and formed in the sand of the molds above themold cavities and communicating with the several pouring gates leadingto the mold cavities of the several molds, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

2. A sand mold having two or more mold cavities and having a pouringgate extending down into the mold and communicating with the moldcavities, and having a runner formed in the sand of the mold above themold cavities and extending along the same entirely across the upperpart of the mold, in combination with another sand mold adjoining thesame and with which said runner communicates, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

3. The combination of two or more sand molds, a runner formed in thesand of the molds extending along the upper part thereof andcommunicating with the pouring gates, and a bridge runner extending overthe space between the two adjoining molds, substantially as and for thepurposes setforth.

4. The combination of two or more sand molds having the top surfacesthereof approximately on the same level and having pouring gatesextending down into and communicating with the mold cavities thereof,and a runner formed in the sand of the molds and extending between thepouring gates of the two molds and inclined from the pouring gate of onemold to the pouring gate of the adjoining mold, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

' 5. The combination of two or more molds having pouring gates extendingdown into and communicating with the mold cavities `thereof, a runnerformed in the sand of and extending along the top of the molds betweenthe pouring gates, and a rigid bridge over the spaces between 'themolds, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination of two or more sand molds, one having a seat formedin the upper part of the sand thereof, and a bridge runner extendingfrom the other mold and entering said seat and extending over the spacebetween the two adjoining molds, substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

7. The combination of two or more sand molds, one having a seat formedin the upper part thereof, and a bridge runner extending from the othermold over the space between the two adjoining molds and entering saidseat, said bridge runner having a lip on the edge thereof to press intothe seat of the mold, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. v

8. The combination of two flasks for sand molds, one having a recess inthe top edge thereof, and a bridge extending between the two adjoiningflasks and fittingin said recess, substantially as set forth.

9. In sand molds, the combination of two adjoining flasks, one flaskhaving a recess therein and the other flask having a bridge securedthereto and extending over and entering into the seat formed in theadjoining flask, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I, the said STEPHEN J ARvIs ADAMS, have hereuntoset my hand.

STEPHEN JARVIS ADAMS.

